Dragonlance Joe Manganelio is Writing the D&D Movie? And Is it DRAGONLANCE?

Actor Joe Manganelio (from True Blood, Magic Mike, and more) appeared on the Happy Sad Confused podcast this week, and reported that he is co-writing a movie script. While he doesn't namecheck D&D, his description sounds a lot like it, and he did recently meet up with WotC. "Last year with a playwright I went to Carnegie Mellon with, I actually made a draft of a film, and now we're talking to all the right parties. I had a two-day creative summit with the Wizards of the Coast...we had like a two-day summit about where the movie could go or TV series, products, synergy, the whole deal… Obviously, there's a spectacle. There's dragons breathing fire and lightning. But what makes a great superhero or fantasy movie is the human aspect. It's got to be about something. We root for those characters in Game of Thrones. Fellowship of the Ring was about friendship, this undying love for your friends. That's something everyone can identify with. When a movie is about something human and real emotionally people are going to want to see. Then you get some dragons breathing fire, and hey, I'm in." And to add fuel to the fire, he even tweets a photo of a DRAGONLANCE script! (thanks to darjr for the scoop)

The D&D movie is being directed by Rob Letterman (Goosebumps, Monsters vs. Aliens, Shark Tale), produced by Rob Lee (The Lego Movie, How To Train Your Dragon) and was/maybe still is being penned by David Leslie Johnson (Wrath of the Titans). Previous reports indicated that "This new Dungeons & Dragons will be a Guardians of the Galaxy-tone movie in a Tolkien-like universe. Because when you think of all the Hobbit movies and The Lord of the Rings, they have an earnestness to them, and to see something fun, a Raiders romp inside that world, I feel is something the audience has not seen before." and that "producers are eyeing a Vin Diesel-type for the film’s lead characters".

Of course, we also know that Vin Diesel plays D&D, as does Joe Manganiello.

So is he co-writing the D&D movie or is that something else? To add to the rumour pile, he tweeted an image of a DRAGONLANCE script (shown below). Of course, he could be playing with us. But maybe there is something in it? His name isn't that script, nor is David Leslie Johnson's. Let the speculation begin!

Manganelio at WotC in February

Manganelio tweeted this image



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[SheWantstheD&D]

50 Shades of Grey- "drama," therefore low budget. $40 million to make.

Worldwide box office- $570 million.

At least $60 million in video, plus streaming rights etc.

This was a GIANT hit. Sometimes, Hollywood works in mysterious ways.

Lol ok, snarky Plus absolutely abysmal reviews. But hey, if it makes money it doesn't have to be good (hence nearly the entire Michael Bay transformers franchise).

 

[Oofta]

I just find it amazing how many people are psychic on this message board. The movie will be crap! The movie will be mediocre! The movie will be the start of a franchise!

C'mon. As with all movies, I'll wait until it's released and decide based on reviews whether I see it in the theater or if it's going on the netflix queue.

I'm just happy Michael Bay isn't the director. And Hasbro is bound to come out with a decent movie eventually, right? They can't all be Transformers or Battleship, right?

 

[Corwin]

The only problem I have with Joe Manganiello is that he's married to Sofia Vergara.




Hard to get past the overwhelming jealousy!

 

[AriochQ]

You would think with all the published material relating to D&D they would be able to find something that could be made into a good movie!

I think one of the problems with fantasy movies is they go too shallow, trying to appeal to a 'generic' audience. Tolkien and Martin do the exact opposite with LoTR and GoT, there is a complex world running in the background that you gradually discover. D&D has that complex world in place, it seems ripe for the picking.

Heck, I would even accept a movie set in FR, even though I am sure we all agree that Greyhawk is by far the best setting! (that was sarcasm, I realize everyone will not agree)

 

[lowkey13]

*Deleted by user*

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Res ipsa loquitur. You have an IP property that you would like to develop into a franchise, you follow the leader.

I'm not sure how to make it more clear than my prior post. Regardless of angry emoticons.

You...clearly didn't read my posts.

 

[lowkey13]

*Deleted by user*

 

[Satyrn]

I just find it amazing how many people are psychic on this message board. The movie will be crap!

not psychic. Pessimistic Realistic.

 

[lowkey13]

*Deleted by user*

 

[doctorbadwolf]

You would think with all the published material relating to D&D they would be able to find something that could be made into a good movie!

I think one of the problems with fantasy movies is they go too shallow, trying to appeal to a 'generic' audience. Tolkien and Martin do the exact opposite with LoTR and GoT, there is a complex world running in the background that you gradually discover. D&D has that complex world in place, it seems ripe for the picking.

Heck, I would even accept a movie set in FR, even though I am sure we all agree that Greyhawk is by far the best setting! (that was sarcasm, I realize everyone will not agree)

I'd go for Eberron if choosing by setting, or Dragonlance if they want a beloved story that isn't despised by a vocal subset of the DnD fandom. (No Drizzt, please) it is epic, the characters are compelling, people who read the books tend to latch on to elements of the story and characters and write fanfic and whatnot, and more obscure fantasy has made it to the big screen without flopping.

But an original story with the right cast, and no dumb controversy (hire diverse, don't directly rip anyone off, etc), could do fine. Doesn't have to break records, if just has to be good and make money.

And I hope they don't just cheese the hell out of it and hope for the best.

But yeah, if they wanna tell an FR story, whatever. It's a boring setting overall, but it has interesting bits. Just no Drizzt.